The invention relates to a sideways releasable jaw, in particular the toe jaw of a ski binding for holding one end of a ski boot which also has a jaw holding the other end of the ski boot, in particular a heel jaw, which preferably also exerts a resilient thrust force in the longitudinal direction of the ski on the releasable jaw via the ski boot. The sideways releasable jaw comprises a binding housing in which a release spring is arranged which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the ski and which is supported at one end on the binding housing. With its other end the release spring exerts a release force having a substantial component in the longitudinal direction of the ski in a direction away from the ski boot on a sole clamp arranged towards the ski boot. The sole clamp has two side limbs and a hold-down member. The release force is exerted on the sole clamp in such a way that the side limbs, on exceeding a predetermined sideways force exerted by the ski boot, pivot sideways about at least one essentially upright tilt axis and release the ski boot. The sole clamp is vertically displaceably arranged on the binding housing along at least one essentially upright sliding guide. This sliding guide is so inclined relative to the line of action of the release spring force that the release spring exerts a downwardly directed force component on the hold-down member which is thereby pressed against the upper side of the sole of the ski boot.
A sideways releasable jaw of this kind, in particular a front jaw unit of a ski binding, is for example known from DE 38 25 682 A1. This known front jaw unit operates largely satisfactorily. However, the essentially upright sliding guide must be so formed or inclined to the line of action of the release spring force that the force component of the release spring force which operates downwardly on the sole clamp or on the hold-down member is sufficient to overcome the friction in the sliding guide and thus press the hold-down member downwardly against the sole of the ski boot.
On the other hand it is however necessary, in order to achieve a good and defined sideways release behavior of the jaw, not to incline the sliding guides too strongly, in particular when the tilting axes for the lateral outward pivoting of the jaw are also provided in the area of the sliding guides.